04x24 - Fish

[bunniefuu]

(happy, playful music)

- [Narrator] On starry

nights when the moon is full

and the air still,

you can hear the

sounds of faraway ships

and distant laughter.

They echo over the hills

and through the valley.

Down calm canals

and sleepy inlets.

Every engine knows that

these are the sounds

that say the harbor

is hard at work

at the big station by the sea.

(train whistle)

One night a special load

of fish was ordered.

Sir Topham Hatt decided that

extra vans must be added

to the train that the men

called the Flying Kipper.

The only vans available

were old ones.

They had not been

used for a long time.

(train whistle)

Henry waited impatiently

by the key side

as Duck shunted

them into position.

Thomas puffed by

with the mail train.

- [Thomas] Hello

Duck, going fishing?

I'd take care if I were you.

- Why? puffed Duck.

Well for one thing,

puffed Thomas,

remembering his own experience.

If fish get into

an engine's boiler,

they always cause trouble.

And for another, fish

can be awfully smelly.

And I know what

I'm talking about.

Good night.

Henry grunted dreadfully.

"You'll just have to

put up with it Henry,"

said his driver.

"At least the extra load

will mean you can have

another engine help

us up Gordon's Hill."

(train whistle) (engine puffing)

Meanwhile, Duck was

waiting at Edward's Station

so that he could

help the heavy train

by pushing from behind.

Henry made good progress.

(train whistle)

(happy music)

When they reached

Edward's Station,

his driver stopped the

train beyond the platform.

Then Henry gave

a special signal.

Beep beep beep beep

I need help please.

(train whistle) Beep

beep, replied Duck.

I won't be long.

Duck buffered gently

up to Henry's train.

He was not coupled on.

Henry would then be

able to run on without

stopping when they reached

the top of the hill.

(train whistle)

Ready, whistled Duck.

And off they went.

(train whistle)

(engine puffing)

(lighthearted music)

Soon they reached Gordon's Hill.

Push hard, push

hard, puffed Henry.

We're doing it, we're

doing it, replied Duck.

Henry was pulling his train

harder than he realized.

Duck felt the weight

on his buffers slacken.

Then Duck noticed

something else.

There's no sign of a

tail lamp, he puffed.

He whistled, but

there was no reply.

Meanwhile Henry had

noticed something too.

My train's getting heavier,

he thought to himself.

I'm slowing down.

Then there was trouble.

(crash)

No one was hurt,

but a strong smell of

fish hung in the air.

Next day, workmen found

the broken tail lamp

at the bottom of the hill.

Sir Topham Hatt

spoke kindly to Duck.

"The accident wasn't your fault.

We should have checked

that this tail lamp

was fixed on properly.

We'll soon have you in

working order again."

"Thank you sir,"

said Duck sadly.

"Thomas told me to be

careful about fish.

They got me in a right

pickle, didn't they?"

(whimsical music)